Repairing defective siding is an expensive proposition. But thanks to various class action lawsuits, much of the cost is covered. Unfortunately, the settlements have not been well advertised and repairs have been performed at substantial cost to the owners. With these settlements, owners can often recoup costs or properly plan for repairs after settlement.
There are a number of brands of lap (long horizontal boards) and panel (large vertical sheets) siding that have similar problems. Masonite is one of the more widely used hardboard sidings and found on an estimated 4.3 million structures in the United States built since 1980. Louisiana Pacific, ABTCO and Georgia Pacific also make hardboard sidings with similar failures.
Look for these signs of damage:
- Swelling along the edges.
- Fissures or cracks in the drip edges
- Swelling around the nails
- Bowing or waving look
- Discoloration or "wax bleed", a wet look
- Siding coming apart or soft to the touch
In 1994, a class action was filed against the Masonite Corporation. In 1997, the jury found in favor of the plaintiffs and in January 1998, a multi-million dollar settlement was approved for all qualified owners. The terms of the settlement allows the Masonite Corporation to halt the claims process in the year 2005. Qualifying owners with damaged siding can apply for an independent inspection and a settlement based upon the results. This process can be completed in 3-6 months depending on the size of the structures and number of buildings.
Other siding manufactures have entered into settlements fashioned in part around the Masonite settlement. Louisiana Pacific, maker of LP Inner Seal Siding, and ABTCO have settlements available or pending. Unfortunately unlike the Masonite settlement which will pay all qualified applications until the end of the settlement period, other settlements are limited by funding or scope of what is covered.
"Siding Claims Specialist" companies like Home Siding Claims assist owners with the settlement process. They guarantee fair treatment and monitor the claims process. There are many homeowner association structures with defective siding and the clock is ticking on filing claims. To gather information on the Internet, start with www.sidingclaims.com for pictures, hints and application instructions.
Some settlement sites:
For more on this subject, see www.regenesis.net.
Published: September 20, 2000
Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
 Richard Thompson owns Regenesis, a management consulting company that specializes in condominium and homeowner associations. He is a nationally recognized expert on HOA management issues.Regenesis publishes The Regenesis Report, a monthly newsletter for HOA boards, developers and managers. To subscribe, go to Regenesis.net. He can be contacted by email at . |
